Guideway for traveling toys



(No Model.)

J. E. GAUSE. GUIDEWAY FOR TRAVELING TOYS, VEHICLES, 6m.

Pa'hented Dec. 10, 1889.

ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES EZRA GAUSE, OF BROVNSVILLE, TENNESSEE.

GUIDEWAY FOR TRAVELING TOYS, VEHICLES, 80C.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 417,015, dated December 10, 18 89.

Application filed April 1, 1889. $erial No. 305,516. (No model.)

up, and which may be packed in small space when not in use, and one also which will direct the toys 111 both straight and curved direciions for any desired distance.

To the above purposes my invention consists in certain peculiar and novel features of construction and arrangement, including the guideway itself, and also the toys or vehicles to be operated thereon, 6 ll as hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims. 4

In order that my invention may be fully understood, I will proceed to describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which similar figures and letters of reference designate like parts, and in which-- Figure 1 is a perspective View of my improved guideway with a traveling toy in operative position thereon. Figs. 2, 3, and 4: illustrate certain details of construction hereinafter explained.

Before giving a detailed description of the several parts embraced in my invention I desire to call attention to the fact that my invention is entirely distinct from that class of devices wherein the toy or vehicle runs upon and is guided by rails or tracks.

In my present invention the wheels of the toy or vehicle do not run upon tracks or rails, but rest directly upon the ground or floor or other similar surface. The result is, as will hereinafter more clearly appear, that a great variety of changes in direction may be easily effected without any liability of stalling or injuring the toy or vehicle.

Referring now to Fig. 1 of the drawings, a designates a rope or cord or other flexible connection, which is secured at its ends to uprights or posts 1 2, and which is drawn taut, so as to extend in a straight line a sufficient distance above the floor or ground, as shown. \Vhere the run is of considerable length, said cord is supported by similar posts set at suitabledistances apart to prevent it from sagging up and down or swinging to the right or left. a designates a similar flexible connection secured in like manner to uprights 3 4, these flexible connections thus forming the straight sections of the guideway.

Between the points indicated by the nu merals 1 and 3 extends a guide b, supported upon uprights 5 and 6 and bent to form three curves '7, 8, and 9.. guideway consists of a metallic wireaor rod which is sufficiently resilient to be-bent in one or more curves, as shown, and, when released, to resume a straight form. (Owing to the resilient character of the wire or rod 1), its bends assume the form of true uniform curves. At the opposite end or side of the guideway is shown a rod or wire I), which is of the same material as the wire I), but which is shown as bent to form a single curve extend ing from the upright & to a similar upright 10, there being one or more intermediate uprights or not, as preferred. 1) designates a wire or rod guide. similar to guide I) and curved concentrically therewith, said guide 12 being supported by uprights 11 and 12. The ends of guides b b at the posts 10 and 12 are shown as acting in conjunction with a switch 0 of flexible wire, one end of which is attached to the upright 2, before mentioned, said switch readily bending to the proper curve when required. The opposite end of the switch 0 is'connected to a slide (Z by an upright 1.3, and the said slide is retained in place and guided in any suitable manner as, for instance, by two staples of, beneath which it works longitudinally. The ends d (P of the slide (1- are shown as upturned to afford means for operating said slide.

The uprights 1 2 3 4C 5, &c., are preferably formed at their lower ends with points 14, (seeFig. 2,) so that said uprights may be readily set into the door or ground, and the uprights may be either formed integrally with or separate from the guide-sections which they support.

The toy or vehicle which is to operate in. con- This section b of the rear ends to the front axle nection with the guideway above described is provided with a guide, which in the form shown in Figs. 1 and 3 is composed of two converging arms 6, the front ends of which are bent downward and toward each other, as shown at e, and then upward and away from each other, as shown at e these bends e 6 serving to enable the guide to embrace the guideway ropes, wires, and uprights, and also to ride up over any obstructions. In Fig. 4 the guide is shown as carrying a truck-wheel 6'' between the points of union of the arms 6 with their downwardly-extending front ends 6 This wheel 6 runs upon the guideway, and the ends 6 serve thepurpose of the bent portionsc 6 above described. In either form of the guide it is preferably attached at its of the toy or vchicle.

' From the above description the operation will be evident. The guide directs the course of the toy or vehicle by following the various trends and curvatures of the guideway. The toy or vehicle runs directly upon the floor, table, or ground Without any necessity for tracks or rails. The switch 0 carries the toy or vehicle from the guideway-section a to the section b or 12 or vice versa, according as the switch is thrown. Any number of curves and'straight stretches may be formed and varied at will, and any length of guideway inay be formed, as desired. Of course the straight stretches of guideway may be formed with the rods or wires instead of with the cords or ropes, if desired. The e11- tire device is simple, compact, and readily put together and taken apart.

XVhile I have illustrated the guideway as adapted to the running of toys, it is to be understood that I do not propose to confine myself to this particular application, because I apprehend that my invention is suitable'(on a larger scale) to roadways for all vehicle travel, and that it may also be applied to mechanical toys and movable machines of many diiferent forms and styles which it may be desirable or necessary to guide mechanically.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a guideway for toys, vehicles, 850., a guiding-section composed of wire or rod, resilient, so as to be curved as desired and to return to its straight form when released from its operative connection with the guideway, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a toyor other vehicle having wheels traveling on the ground and a guide in a higher plane than the lower side of the'floorw11eel, of a flexible guidingstrand with which the said guide is connected, substantially as set forth.

3. A guideway for wheeled vehicles, consisting in the metal sections adapted to be bent into shape and provided with supports and cords connecting the ends of said sections to form an endless guideway, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with a toy or vehicle to travel along the ground, of a guide secured to the axle of said toy or vehicle and flared and upturned at its front end, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. A guideway for wheeled vehicles adapted to travel on the ground, consisting in the outer and inner parallel guide-sections Z) b having supports 1012, the sections a a and 7, the switch 0, and the plate d, sliding transversely to the ends of sections 1) b and supporting the free end of the switch to bring it into register with said ends, substantially as set forth.

JAMES ZZRA GAUSE.

Witnesses:

A. F. YANCEY, S. F. THOMAS. 

